Discharger display device having means for air-tight separation of discharge chambers by partition walls, and process of producing the same

Abstract

A discharge display device wherein a gas-tight space defined by two plates and a sealing member is divided into a plurality of discharge chambers by partition walls formed on one of the two plates, and height adjusting layers are interposed between end faces of the respective partition walls and an inner surface of the other plate. Each height adjusting layer is formed from a material which has a softening point not lower than that of the sealing member and which is softened at a sealing temperature at which the two plates are bonded together by the sealing member. The height adjusting layers, which assure gas-tight separation of the discharge chambers, may replace upper end portions of the partition walls. Alternatively, the partition walls may be entirely formed from the above-indicated material. Also disclosed is a process of fabricating such a discharge display device, wherein height adjusting layers are softened at the sealing temperature when the two plates are bonded together with the melting of the sealing member.

what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A discharge display device comprising: a first plate and a second plate which are disposed in parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other;   a sealing member which is disposed between peripheral portions of said first and second plates and which cooperates with said first and second plates to form a gas-tight space;   a plurality of partition walls formed by thick-film printing on an inner surface of one of said first and second plates, so as to define a plurality of discharge chambers in said gas-tight space; and   a plurality of height adjusting layers which are interposed between end faces of said partition walls, respectively, and an inner surface of the other of said first and second plates, which inner surface is opposed to said inner surface of said one of said first and second plates,   each of said height adjusting layers being formed from a material which has a softening point not lower than that of said sealing member and which is softened at a sealing temperature at which said first and second plates are bonded together by said sealing member so as to form said gas-tight space, said height adjusting layers having respective thickness values which increase with a distance between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said first and second plates, so that said height adjusting layers assure gas-tight separation of said discharge chambers from each other, without gaps being left between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said other of said first and second plates.   
     
     
       2. A discharge display device comprising: a first plate and a second plate which are disposed in parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other;   a sealing member which is disposed between peripheral portions of said first and second plates and which cooperates with said first and second plates to form a gas-tight space;   a plurality of partition walls formed on an inner surface of one of said first and second plates, so as to define a plurality of discharge chambers in said gas-tight space; and   a plurality of height adjusting layers which are interposed between end faces of said partition walls, respectively, and an inner surface of the other of said first and second plates, which inner surface is opposed to said inner surface of said one of said first and second plates,   each of said height adjusting layers being formed from a material which has a softening point not lower than that of said sealing member and which is softened at a sealing temperature at which said first and second plates are bonded together by said sealing member so as to form said gas-tight space, said height adjusting layers having respective thickness values which increase with a distance between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said first and second plates, so that said height adjusting layers assure gas-tight separation of said discharge chambers from each other, without gaps being left between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said other of said first and second plates,   and wherein said first and second plates and said partition walls have softening points higher than that of said height adjusting layers.   
     
     
       3. A discharge display device comprising: a first plate and a second plate which are disposed in parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other;   a sealing member which is disposed between peripheral portions of said first and second plates and which cooperates with said first and second plates to form a gas-tight space;   a plurality of partition walls formed on an inner surface of one of said first and second plates, so as to define a plurality of discharge chambers in said gas-tight space;   a plurality of height adjusting layers which are interposed between end faces of said partition walls, respectively, and an inner surface of the other of said first and second plates, which inner surface is opposed to said inner surface of said one of said first and second plates,   each of said height adjusting layers being formed from a material which has a softening point not lower than that of said sealing member and which is softened at a sealing temperature at which said first and second plates are bonded together by said sealing member so as to form said gas-tight space, said height adjusting layers having respective thickness values which increase with a distance between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said first and second plates, so that said height adjusting layers assure gas-tight separation of said discharge chambers from each other, without gaps being left between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said other of said first and second plates;   a plurality of elongate parallel discharge electrodes corresponding to said plurality of partition walls, respectively, each of said plurality of elongate parallel discharge electrodes being interposed between a lower and an upper portion of the corresponding one of said plurality of partition walls;   a third plate disposed on one of opposite sides of said other of said first and second plates, which is remote from said one of said first and second plates; and   a plurality of elongate parallel transparent electrodes which are supported by said third plate and which extend in a direction perpendicular to a direction of extension of said plurality of elongate parallel discharge electrodes.   
     
     
       4. A process of fabricating a discharge display device comprising: (a) a first plate and a second plate which are disposed in parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other; (b) a sealing member which is disposed between peripheral portions of said first and second plates and which cooperates with said first and second plates to form a gas-tight space; (c) a plurality of partition walls formed on an inner surface of one of said first and second plates, so as to define a plurality of discharge chambers in said gas-tight space; and (d) a plurality of height adjusting layers which are interposed between end faces of said partition walls, respectively, and an inner surface of the other of said fist and second plates, which inner surface is opposed to said inner surface of said one of said first and second plates, each of said height adjusting layers being formed from a material which has a softening point not lower than that of said sealing member and which is softened at a sealing temperature at which said first and second plates are bonded together by said sealing member so as to form said gas-tight space, said height adjusting layers having respective thickness values which increase with a distance between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said first and second plates, so that said height adjusting layers assure gas-tight separation of said discharge chambers from each other, without gaps being left between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said other of said first and second plates, said process comprising the steps of: forming said plurality of partition walls on said inner surface of said one of said first and second plates;   forming masses of a paste of said material on said end faces of said partition walls, respectively;   placing said sealing member on said peripheral portion of said one of said first and second plates, such that said sealing member has a height larger than that of a highest one of said partition walls;   placing said other of said first and second plates on an assembly of said one plate, said partition walls, said sealing member and said masses of said paste, such that said outer plate is supported by at least one of said sealing member and said masses of said paste; and   heat-treating said assembly and said other plate such that said sealing member is melted while said masses of said paste are softened, for thereby bonding together said first and second plates by said sealing member, and for permitting said masses of said paste to be deformed between said inner surface of said other plate and said end faces of said partition walls, so as to form said height adjusting layers, respectively.   
     
     
       5. A discharge display device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of height adjusting layers are formed on the end faces of said partition walls, respectively. 
     
     
       6. A discharge display device according to claim 1, wherein said height adjusting layers consist of respective portions of a single layer which is formed from said material, on said inner surface of said other plate, said respective portions of said single layer being interposed between said end faces of said partition walls, respective, and and said inner surface of said other plate. 
     
     
       7. A process of fabricating a discharge display device as defined in claim 6, comprising the steps of: forming said plurality of partition walls on said inner surface of said one of said first and second plates;   forming a layer of a paste of said material on said inner surface of said other of said first and second plates;   placing said sealing member on said peripheral portion of said one of said first and second plates, such that said sealing member has a height larger than that of a highest one of said partition walls;   placing said other plate with said layer of said paste on an assembly of said one plate, said partition walls and said sealing member, such that said layer of said paste is in contact with at least one of said sealing member and said end faces of said partition walls; and   heat-treating said assembly and said other plate with said layer of said paste such that said sealing member is melted while said layer of said paste is softened, for thereby bonding together said first and second plates by said sealing member, and for permitting said layer of said paste to be deformed between said inner surface of said other plate and said end faces of said partition walls, so as to form said height adjusting layers, respectively.   
     
     
       8. A discharge display device according to claim 1, further including a spacer glass member disposed adjacent to said sealing member, said spacer glass member being formed from a material which is not softened at said sealing temperature. 
     
     
       9. A discharge display device according to claim 1, wherein said other of said first and second plates is provided with a first dielectric layer bonded to said inner surface thereof, and said one of said first and second plates is provided with a second dielectric layer bonded to said inner surface thereof, said discharge display device further comprising: a plurality of elongate parallel discharge electrodes embedded in said first dielectric layer; and   a plurality of elongate parallel address electrodes which are embedded in said second dielectric layer and which extend in a direction perpendicular to a direction of extension of said plurality of elongate parallel discharge electrodes.   
     
     
       10. A discharge display device according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of elongate parallel discharge electrodes formed on said inner surface of said other of said first and second plates; and   a plurality of elongate parallel address electrodes which are formed on said inner surface of said one of said first and second plates and which extend in a direction perpendicular to a direction of extension of said plurality of elongate parallel discharge electrodes.   
     
     
       11. A discharge display device according to claim 3, further comprising a liquid crystal layer formed between said other of said first and second plates and said plurality of elongate parallel transparent electrodes. 
     
     
       12. A discharge display device comprising: a first plate and a second plate which are disposed in parallel with each other and are spaced apart from each other;   a sealing member which is disposed between peripheral portions of said first and second plates and which cooperates with said first and second plates to form a gas-tight space; and   a plurality of partition walls formed on an inner surface of one of said first and second plates, so as to divide said gas-tight space into a plurality of discharge chambers,   at least an end portion of each of said partition walls remote from said one of said first and second plates being formed from a material which has a softening point higher than that of said sealing member and which is softened at a sealing temperature at which said first and second plates are bonded together by said sealing member so as to form said gas-tight space, said partition walls assuring gas-tight separation of said discharge chambers from each other, without gaps being left between said end faces of said partition walls and said inner surface of said other of said first and second plates.   
     
     
       13. A discharge display device according to claim 12, wherein an entirety of said each partition wall is formed from said material. 
     
     
       14. A discharge display device according to claim 12, wherein said first and second plates have softening points higher than that of said upper portion of said each partition wall. 
     
     
       15. A process of fabricating a discharge display device as defined in claim 12, comprising the steps of: forming masses of at least one paste on said inner surface of said one of said first and second plates, said masses of said paste giving said plurality of partition walls when said masses are heat-treated, said at least one paste including a paste of said material of which an end portion of each of said masses is formed;   placing said sealing member on said peripheral portion of said one of said first and second plates;   placing said other of said first and second plates on an assembly of said one plate, said masses of said at least one paste and said sealing member, such that said other plate is supported by at least one of said sealing member and said masses of said at least one paste; and   heat-treating said assembly and said other plate such that said sealing member is melted while said end portion of said each mass which is formed of said paste of said material is softened, for thereby bonding together said first and second plates by said sealing member, and for permitting at least said end portion of said each mass to be deformed into said end portion of said each partition wall.   
     
     
       16. A process according to claim 15, wherein each of said masses which give said partition walls is entirely formed of said paste of said material.